Hampshire County Council

Cabinet

26 January 2004

Corporate Health and Safety Strategy and Policy

Report of the County Personnel and Training Officer

Contact Gerry Colverson, Ext 7707

1 Summary

1.1 This report introduces two documents, the corporate Health and Safety Strategy 2004 - 2010 and a revised version of the Corporate Health and Safety Policy (see Appendix 1). These documents have been drafted and were the subject of extensive consultation. They are now presented to Cabinet for final approval before publication.

2 Objective

2.1 This report asks for Cabinet endorsement of the new corporate Health and Safety Strategy and the revised corporate Health and Safety Policy.

3 Reasons

3.1 This decision supports Aims 5. (Improving Services) and 6. (Developing Councillors and staff) by reducing sickness absence and service interruption caused by incidents and by improving the health and safety competency of people and the management arrangements at all levels in the Council.

3.2 Health and Safety forms one of the components of the Risk Management Strategy and these documents recognise this and aim to provide greater support to the Risk Management arrangements.

4 Contextual Information

4.1 The existing corporate Health and Safety Policy has been reviewed as required by law and revised to reflect the range of changes in the organisation, including the introduction of the Cabinet and strengthening of the role of the Chief Executive's Health and Safety Management Steering Group (MSG) as the lead body in health and safety management.

4.2 The previous Health and Safety Strategy ran from 1998 to 2003 and has achieved significant improvements over that period in health and safety across the County Council. The new Strategy aims to build on these achievements and provide a structure and direction for Health and Safety within the Council's overarching Risk Management arrangements. Recent experience demonstrates the need for a fundamental reappraisal of our resources and our capacity to deal with the ever increasing level of risk. An analysis is being undertaken and a further report will be made to Cabinet following discussion at Corporate Management Team.

4.3 The documents have been drafted and peer reviewed by the health and safety specialists working for the Council and then subjected to extensive consultation. This has involved the Trade Unions and direct electronic consultation with staff. The final draft has been agreed by the Trade Unions and the MSG subject to the approval of the Cabinet.

5 Recommendations

5.1 The Cabinet is asked to endorse the adoption of the documents as the Health and Safety Policy and Health and Safety Strategy for Hampshire County Council and note that future health and safety requirements carry potentially significant resource implications.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes :

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE LOCATION

None.

Appendix 1

Corporate Policy Statement

This Health and Safety Policy Statement is the lead document for Health and Safety in Hampshire County Council. All other health and safety documents at a corporate or departmental level will match or exceed the principles set out here. All people who work in or with the Council and those who use its services are encouraged to read this policy and to consider how they can contribute to achieving its aims.

K Thornber Leader of the Council

P Robertson Chief Executive

Policy Statement

The Council recognises that good health and safety management supports the delivery of our services for the people of Hampshire. As part of the overall Risk Management process and culture, good health and safety management will help reduce injury and loss.

Hampshire County Council recognises and will meet its common law and statutory health and safety responsibilities. The Council will provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy environment for its staff and all persons affected by its undertaking. This will be based on providing safe environments for learning, leisure and care work, safe systems of work, safe equipment and materials for use at work and individuals who are competent.

The Council will maintain appropriate health and safety management systems, arrangements and organisational structures to meet its service needs at all levels. The Council will monitor and review the effectiveness of these systems.

Managers will ensure health and safety matters are an integral part of all activities and health and safety is given due consideration with other service commitments.

All staff must actively support the Council's efforts by working with due regard to the safety of themselves and others. The Council expects and encourages similar support from contractors, partners and volunteers and co-operation from clients and other visitors who use facilities or visit premises.

ORGANISATION (people and responsibilities)

The following are the principal responsibilities for health and safety in Hampshire County Council.

Members of the Cabinet and other elected members shall:

_ Ensure that adequate resources and strategic direction are available to discharge the Council's health and safety responsibilities.

_ Monitor, via reports, the overall performance of the Council's health and safety management systems.

The Chief Executive shall:

· Have overall responsibility for health & safety across the County Council, and lead in setting corporate policy and direction.

The Corporate Management Team shall:

· Provide strategic direction and endorse corporate health and safety strategies

· Ensure that robust health and safety management systems, arrangements and organisation exist in each department.

· Support the Chief Executive in meeting his safety responsibilities for the Council as a whole.

The Management Steering Group shall:

· Ensure that corporate health and safety policies and standards are developed and maintained.

· Approve and authorise corporate health and safety policies and other documents.

· Ensure appropriate implementation of corporate health and safety policies and standards.

· Monitor health and safety performance in all areas.

· Direct corporate health and safety activities including monitoring, inspection, audits and review activities.

· Review the health and safety performance annually and produce a report for CMT and the Cabinet

· Provide information and support to the Chief Executive.

Chief Officers shall:

· Have overall responsibility for health and safety in their department.

· Appoint a member of their Departmental Management Team to lead on health and safety issues. (Unless they retain that role themselves)

Departmental Management Teams shall:

· Ensure the development of health and safety documentation for their departments that meets, as a minimum, the law and corporate policies and standards.

· Ensure sufficient resources are allocated to meet health and safety obligations throughout the department

· Monitor health and safety performance throughout their department

· Review health and safety performance annually and provide a summary of that review for the Management Steering Group.

· Ensure staff are involved and consulted on relevant health and safety matters in good time and ensure that their views are considered.

Managers shall:

· Comply with the requirements of their department's health and safety documentation.

· Ensure all work related hazards are identified and suitable and sufficient risk assessments are undertaken

· Develop local procedures and safe working practices in line with the departmental documentation and local risk assessments

· Ensure that they and their staff have adequate levels of competency to complete their work tasks safely

· Ensure that local health and safety systems are maintained

· Report and investigate incidents as necessary

· Ensure that work locations are inspected at least once a year, ideally quarterly

Staff and volunteers shall:

· Familiarise themselves with the contents of this policy and those policies and procedures that relate to their work

· Work with due regard to the health and safety of themselves and others

· Co-operate with and support managers in meeting their health and safety responsibilities

· Draw attention to health and safety problems or deficiencies

Health and safety practitioners shall:

· Provide appropriate advice and support to managers

· Maintain up to date health and safety legislation and best practice knowledge

· Provide a range of services for departments to meet their health and safety needs

Contractors and partners shall:

· Co-operate and communicate with Hampshire County Council on all relevant health and safety matters.

· Meet the health and standards required of them in the performance of the work activities undertaken with or on behalf of the County Council.

Safety Representatives

Safety Representatives, both Trade Union and Staff representatives are able to exercise their rights to:

· Conduct investigations in to reportable incidents

· Represent the views of the staff to managers and to HSE Inspectors

· Conduct inspections of the workplace

Clients, service users and members of the public:

Clients, service users and members of the public are requested to co-operate with the health and safety arrangements put in place by Hampshire County Council to protect them and the people who are providing a service for them.

ARRANGEMENTS (Health and Safety documentation and procedures)

The health and safety documentation is structured on three basic levels, Corporate, Departmental and local.

Level 1. The Corporate documentation is in the form of Policies and Standards. The Policies set out the overall position the Council takes on the issue covered and the Standards set out who is responsible and what must be done to meet the Policy. In addition there are Corporate Procedures where cross-departmental systems and documentation are needed e.g. accident reporting and fire safety.

The Policies and Standards aim to ensure that, as a minimum, the requirements of health and safety legislation are met.

Departments shall meet the requirements of corporate policies and standards as mandatory.

Level 2. Departmental documentation meets as a minimum the standards and requirements set out in the corporate documentation and take the form of procedures and guidance for managers and staff working in the departments.

Level 3. Local documentation covers any health and safety procedures and requirements unique to a site or service.

Health and Safety Strategy 2004 - 2010

Introduction

This document sets out the broad Strategy for Health and Safety for Hampshire County Council for the six years between 2004 and 2010. It aims to build on the work already achieved by the previous strategy and the improvements in health and safety management systems implemented over the past six years. This document will be subject to annual review and, if necessary, amended.

This Strategy is endorsed by the Leader of the Council, the Chief Executive and departmental Chief Officers and has been subject to extensive consultation with employees and their representatives. It aims to enable the full implementation of the Corporate Health and Safety Policy Statement and will form the basis of the annual planning and review processes. By these means, the Council aims to improve its health and safety management systems continuously and thereby reduce injuries, damage and loss, whilst continuing to deliver services to the people of Hampshire.

Aims

The principle health and safety aims of the Council for the next six years are: -

1. To continue to improve its health and safety management structures with emphasis on performance measurement and review.

2. To support managers and staff in achieving suitable levels of competency, enabling them to undertake work activities in safety.

3. To build on the work of the Occupational Health Team to ensure adequate provision of health surveillance, return to work rehabilitation and reduction of sickness absence.

4. To build on the communication and consultation arrangements to ensure that staff are fully involved and committed to achieving acceptable health and safety standards.

5. To align health and safety more closely with the overall Risk Management arrangements.

6. To support the aims of the Government's `Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy' and the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) `Securing Health Together Strategy' by setting clear health and safety performance targets.

7. To act as an `exemplar' in health and safety matters in its relationship with its partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, including setting joint health and safety standards and helping partners meet those standards in any joint or contractual arrangement.

8. To increase staff involvement in health and safety performance by the introduction, where appropriate, of Behavioural Safety Management systems that enable teams and groups to identify and measure key safety behaviours in the workplace.

Strategy Detail

1. To continue to improve its health and safety management structures with emphasis on performance measurement and review.

The Council will base its management structures and arrangements on the guidance set out in the Health and Safety Executive's document `Successful Health and Safety Management (HSG 65)' and the HSC's Guidance document `Directors' responsibilities for Health and Safety'.

The existing health and safety responsibilities in the Council are set out in the Corporate Health and Safety Policy.

To provide focus for health and safety issues, the Chief Executive takes overall responsibility for health and safety at the corporate level. The Chief Executive is supported by the Health and Safety Management Steering Group (MSG), which is chaired by the Chief Executive and is attended by the County Health and Safety Adviser and representatives from each department's Departmental Management Team.

The role of the MSG is set out in its Terms of Reference.

The Chief Officers in each Department have overall responsibility for the health and safety performance of their department. To support them they can nominate an individual to lead on health and safety in the department. This individual should be a member of the Department's Departmental Management Team and should attend the MSG meetings representing their department. They are supported by the Health and Safety Adviser/s for the departments and the department's Health and Safety Committee/s. Overall they act as health and safety `Champion' for their department.

The HSC's guidance document `Directors' responsibilities for Health and Safety' sets out the health and safety responsibilities for senior management including the departmental `Champion'.

In order for these responsibilities to be met, it is important that health and safety performance is monitored, measured and evaluated. At each level in the organisation there needs to be adequate information available on health and safety performance to ensure resources and management focus is directed to where it is needed in the most effective way. To support this, systems of performance measurement will operate across the Council at departmental and corporate levels

Performance measurement includes gathering and analysing data (see Targets and Goals below) as well as; individual's discussing their health and safety performance with their manager as part of their Performance Development Review, local inspections and reviews, Health and Safety audits and corporate reviews. The aim is always to identify whether the performance required is being achieved or not.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· The management structure at corporate and departmental level being audited against the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive's document `Successful Health and Safety Management' (HSG 65) and the HSC's Guidance document `Directors' responsibilities for Health and Safety'.

· Key performance measures for the whole Council and individual departments being in place with targets set annually.

· Performance Development reviews to include a review of health and safety performance of individuals

· All locations to be inspected annually for health and safety standards and compliance

· All departments formally reviewing their performance and reporting details to MSG annually

2. To ensure suitable levels of competency for managers and staff, enabling them to undertake work activities in safety.

Effective management of health and safety involves people using their skills and knowledge to work safely. To achieve this it is necessary to identify the skills and knowledge that are needed to work safely and to ensure that the individuals who do the work are trained accordingly. The Council has clear organisational values, organisational behaviours, core competencies and technical/professional competency frameworks. It is committed to ensuring that people are properly competent to undertake their work including the health and safety aspects. It will maintain a portfolio of health and safety training opportunities that are delivered in the most cost effective way, whilst maintaining the standards required.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· Line managers to be provided with the basic skills to identify the health and safety competency needed by their staff.

· All roles are evaluated by line managers to identify any necessary health and safety competency, which is recorded and used in recruitment and staff training and development.

· All staff who need it, are provided with training and development opportunities to acquire the necessary competencies to undertake their job role safely.

3. To build on the work of the Occupational Health Team to ensure adequate provision of health surveillance, return to work rehabilitation and reduction of sickness absence.

The document `Securing Health Together' sets out the strategy of the Government for improving health at work The Council will support this strategy and will set itself year on year targets to match those set out in the strategy. This will require the allocation of sufficient resources to enable a range of preventative, monitoring and intervention programmes to be set up and maintained. This will include rehabilitation of people who have injuries or ill-health to enable them to continue working and health surveillance and monitoring to prevent work related ill-health causing staff to take time off sick. Benefits from this will include reduced sickness absence and its related costs. Appropriate health surveillance programmes will ensure that the risk of ill-health caused by work is reduced.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· Targets being set corporately and in departments for reduction of work related ill health and overall sickness absence.

· Health surveillance programmes in place where appropriate.

· Departments funded health rehabilitation programmes where cost effective.

4. To build on the communication and consultation arrangements to ensure that staff are fully involved and committed to achieving acceptable health and safety standards.

The Council will continue to build on the existing arrangements to communicate and consult with staff and to engage them actively in health and safety improvement activities. This will include use of information technology, as well as the existing health and safety representatives and safety committees. Staff will be asked for their views and their responses will be heard and responded to.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· All staff having access to a safety representative.

· All departments have effective processes to consult staff or their representatives in a timely way and to ensure their views are taken into consideration when decisions affecting health and safety are made.

· All departments have effective health and safety committees

5. To align health and safety more closely to the overall Risk Management arrangements.

The Risk Management Strategy aims to establish a culture where risks are understood and managed. Health and Safety management aims to ensure risks to health and safety are identified and managed. While Risk Management covers all business risks and is focussed on the major risks to the Council, there are areas where the two strategies meet. These areas will be clearly defined to enable managers to see how they can support both without unnecessary duplication.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· Health and safety processes and arrangements being seen and understood as supporting the Risk Management Strategy of the Council.

· Health and safety issues identified during Risk Management assessments are addressed as part of the health and safety arrangements in departments

6. To support the aims of the Government's `Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy' and the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) `Securing Health Together' strategy by setting clear health and safety performance targets.

The Council will set performance targets that, year on year, will help it to meet those targets set out in the Government's Strategy documents. These targets will form part of any corporate or departmental review of health and safety and the results of the programmes to meet the targets will be published.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· Corporate and departmental health and safety performance targets are set, based on the Governments own targets and performance against the targets is published.

· Departments have programmes that form part of their annual plans which support the achievement of the targets set.

· The overall performance of the Council is published as part of the Best Value Annual Report.

7. The Council will aim to act as an `exemplar' in health and safety matters in its relationship with its partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors. This will include setting health and safety standards and helping partners meet those standards in any joint or contractual arrangement.

As well setting targets to improve its own health and safety performance, the Council will work with its partners to improve health and safety overall in the delivery of its services. This will include setting contractual obligations and standards on suppliers and contractors that push health and safety compliance down the "supply chain" and that make arrangements to monitor compliance with those standards. Agreements will be made with voluntary and public service partners to improve health and safety. The aim is to share knowledge and experience and does not assume that Hampshire County Council's health and safety arrangements are superior to those of our partners. Where partners are able to provide systems or arrangements that are improvements on those in place in the Council, we will try to learn from our partners.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· All contracts for goods and services will be from suppliers that have been assessed for their health and safety performance, normally from the approved supplier list maintained by PB&RS.

· All contracts for goods and services will have clear health and safety standards included in the contract documentation.

· Contracts for services will be monitored and contractors that consistently fail to meet health and safety standards will not be used.

· Where the Council works with or through partners to deliver services, there will be clear agreement on the standards of health and safety to be met and how these will be monitored.

· In all contract or partnership arrangements there will be clear methods of communication and co-operation agreed from the start.

8. To increase staff involvement in health and safety performance by the introduction, where appropriate, of Behavioural Safety Management systems that enable teams and groups to identify and measure key safety behaviours in the workplace.

One of the key aims of any health and safety programme is to identify and encourage safe ways of working, which may be specific to a task or work group. Deviation from the safe behaviours can result in incidents and injuries. Behavioural Management Systems enable teams to identify the key behaviours that ensure their safety and provide tools and training that enable compliance with these key behaviours to be measured.

This Aim will be measured by: -

· Departments having plans to set up behavioural health and safety programmes where appropriate.

· These programmes will be measured to ensure their effectiveness.

· Appendix 1.

3 Targets and Goals

There will be a range of health and safety Targets and Goals established at all levels in the organisation. These will be reviewed and revised as necessary each year as part of the annual reviews and planning processes.

Performance indicators for Health and Safety will include:

By 2010 reducing the amount of days lost per 100,000 employees due to work-related injury and ill health by 30 %

By 2010 reducing the incidence rate for work related ill health by 20 %

By 2010 reducing the incidence rate for major injuries by 10 %.

By 2010 reducing the incidence rate for over 3 day absences form work caused by work-related injury of ill health by 20%

By 2010 reducing the incidence rate of ill health and injury to members of the public and clients, caused by work related activity by 20%

To achieve these targets require that relevant data be made available on existing performance and set baseline figures from which further reductions can be measured.

Once baseline measurements have been made for these performance indicators then benchmarking needs to take place. This is to see how the existing performance of the County Council compares with other organisations and to confirm that the targets set are reasonable. Corporate and departmental annual targets will be set to enable the overall performance indicators to be met.